Hulk Hogan: ‘I’m Not a Racist, but I Never Should Have Said What I Said’

Hulk Hogan sat down with Good Morning America on Monday for his first television interview since being fired by the WWE in July for leaked audio of a racist rant directed at his daughter’s then-boyfriend.

At the time, Hogan quickly apologized for audio the recordings, in which the ex-wrestler repeatedly made use of the n-word. However, his interview with ABC’s Amy Robach on Monday marks his first televised appearance since July’s events.

After admitting that he’d considered suicide at the time, Robach asked Hogan whether or not he was a racist.

“I’m not a racist, but I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it,” he answered.

“People need to realize that you inherit things from your environment,” Hogan explained. “Where I grew up was south Tampa, Port Tampa, and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low income. And all my friends, we greeted each other saying that word.”

The former WWE personality went on to explain that using the n-word where he grow up “was part of the culture and the environment.”

When Robach asked whether or not Hogan had inherited a racial bias, he immediately agreed: “I think that’s fair to say.”